Getting a bit frustrated with the lack of commingling on First4s, quaddies and the like?
Me too.
But the word from the TAB is don't give up hope.
While negotiations have taken a bit longer than we all would have hoped, the end goal is to get commingling back to its former glory, so New Zealanders will be able to bet into those big $1 million-plus quaddies during the big meetings across the Tasman.
Smaller exotic pools are naturally susceptible to volatility if one punter takes several units of a combination, so it would be good to be rid of that uncertainty.
In the meantime, the TAB will continue to bump up some First4s, and there's $10,000 injected into the terminating quaddie at Melton tomorrow night on top of the usual $40,000 terminating quaddies on the feature meetings from Sydney and Melbourne.
Night clubbing
More developments in Victoria, with the lights set to be turned on at Pakenham by April, meaning more Thursday night racing for thoroughbred fans in Australia and - by association - New Zealand.
It's clearly a market that Racing Victoria feels is successful, judging by the good fields at Cranbourne Friday night meetings, but you have to feel for some of the stable staff who might be on the short back-up from the races the night before to a 4am start the next day to get ready for track work.
Meanwhile, it also eats in to the traditional harness racing time slots.
If I could turn back time
Yesterday's story on One Over Da Moon brought up a small error in Harness Racing Australia's database.
A review of the trotter's form showed that two starts back, he supposedly raced at Claudelands.
Now, One Over Da Moon is 5 and I'm not sure he's particularly au fait with the concept of time travel, being a horse and all.
As such, I'm finding it highly unlikely he bowled around the Claudelands track in Hamilton, as it closed almost 20 years ago.
That performance two starts back was, of course, at Cambridge, about 30km away from the now-defunct Claudelands.
Live long and prosper
Happy trails to millionaire trotter Vulcan who was retired earlier this week after a stellar career.
At his best, particularly in early 2000 when he won five group 1 races from March 8 to March 30, he was a sight to behold.
His 20th and last win was at Omakau in January last year, which also took him over the $1 million mark in stakes earnings.
And before anyone asks, I'm not a Star Trek fan, but that sub-heading was just too tempting.
Lazy Fiver
Scrutinize did NOT bounce back to form at Ellerslie, finishing eighth.
I'm on Lennytheshark to down Smolda in the Victoria Cup (race 7) at Melton tomorrow night.
● Check out Matt's two-minute racing tips video every Friday at www.odt.co.nz
